Frequently Asked Questions

What is YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

Beginning 2018-2019, Youngstown State University is implementing a Penguin Tuition Promise. The promise is a cohort-based tuition, room and board, and fee model that will provide all new, transfer, and re-admitted degree-seeking undergraduate students and their families the certainty that rates will be frozen for twelve consecutive terms.

How long does the YSU Penguin Tuition Promise last?

The Penguin Tuition Promise spans twelve consecutive terms commencing with initial enrollment. Each academic year includes one summer, fall and spring term. Students whose first enrollment is summer term will have an automatic one term extension.

Any new undergraduate degree-seeking transfer or first-year student registered for classes as of the day after the last day to withdraw at 100% refund is considered “Matriculated” for that term. The first term of enrollment establishes the cohort rate.

Who qualifies for the YSU Penguin Tuition Promise?

Beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year, YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise will apply to all new, transfer, and re-admitted degree-seeking undergraduate students.

What is included in YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

The program covers Tuition, Room And Board and Mandatory fees. See Tuition Fees Charges.

What costs are not included as part of YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

Nonresident surcharges.
Program fees, lab and materials fees, and college fees that recognize the cost variation among different programs, courses and majors and which are not assessed uniformly or universally.
Miscellaneous fines and service charges, such as late payment fees, library fines, and the (optional) duplicate diploma fee.

What will Tuition be for Ohio residents and non-Ohio residents for 2018-2019 under YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

Please utilize link to tuition estimator.

How will this affect scholarships?

All renewable scholarships will retain their full value with the Penguin Tuition Promise since both the cost and the scholarship amounts will stay the same.

Are Room and Board included?

University owned housing (Cafaro House, Kilcawly House, Lyden House, Wick House, Weller House, University Courtyard Apartments) and dining rates are included in the Penguin Tuition Promise but may vary depending on students’ chosen or available residence type and meal plan selection.

Academic Credits and Time Periods

How many hours can I take at the guaranteed tuition rate?

Tuition and fees for the Penguin Tuition Promise are assessed on a per credit hour basis. YSU’s full-time bulk rate is assessed to students taking 12 to 18 credit hours. Additional charges for hours taken above 18 credits shall be assessed at the per credit hour cohort rate.

Programs Requiring More Than 128 Credit Hours --- Students in programs that have been identified by the Ohio Department of Higher Education as requiring more than 128 hours to complete will automatically receive an additional term at the end of their twelfth term of the guarantee. If a student internally transfers to one of these programs, he/she will receive the automatic extension of the Penguin Tuition Promise rate.

Does YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise include classes in the summer term?

Yes. Students whose first enrollment is summer term will have an automatic one term extension.

What if I need more than twelve academic terms to complete my degree?

Students who take more than twelve consecutive terms to earn an undergraduate degree, are not in a program approved to require more than twelve terms as defined in FAQ-9 and are not part of an exception group (defined below *), at the end of their twelfth consecutive term, will automatically be placed into the next cohort that went into effect immediately after the student’s original cohort. The student will remain in that cohort for the duration of the cohort, and if still enrolled after that cohort expires, will be placed into the next cohort until the student is no longer enrolled.

Students who take more than twelve consecutive terms to earn an undergraduate degree will be given the opportunity to request an extension of their current cohort rate by the end of their twelfth consecutive term until no later than 30 days after the end of their twelfth consecutive term. Students who receive an approved extension will have an extension to not exceed one (1) term immediately following their twelfth consecutive term.

* Exceptions for students requiring More Than Twelve Consecutive Terms to graduate:

There will be some students who require more than twelve consecutive terms to graduate due to circumstances beyond their control. Each case will be evaluated on its own merit. An appeals committee will be established to evaluate exceptional cases. In most cases, these extenuating circumstances fall within the precedents already established by YSU’s long-standing Fees Appeals Committee, which will lay the foundation for a new process for appeals related to the Penguin Tuition Promise.

Exception for Active Military Duty

Students, due to military service, will be given an automatic extension of the guaranteed cohort rate for as many terms impacted by his/her time served. Documentation of military service is required for this exception.

Exceptions for course unavailability

If a student is not able to complete his/her degree program in the twelve consecutive terms of their established cohort as a result of a required course being unavailable, YSU will provide the necessary courses in compliance with Ohio Revised Code section 3345.48. To be considered for this exception, a student must file an appeal through the Penguin Tuition Promise appeals committee by the last day to add a course in their final term.

Other Exceptions (examples)

A non-exhaustive list of examples of cases that could be considered for an exception appeal include:

Reasonable accommodation for disability: If it is determined that additional terms are a reasonable accommodation of a student’s disability, the Associate Provost for Student Success will make a recommendation for the appropriate continuation.
Medical Conditions: A student who has extenuating medical issues may submit an appeal to extend the cohort rate. The appeal will be evaluated individually and a determination made based on the nature of the medical issue.
University Errors: If it is determined that a University error caused a student to extend his/her enrollment beyond twelve terms, then the student will be afforded additional terms to complete his/her degree.

What if the first time I enroll is in the spring semester?

Students entering a degree program during a spring semester will pay the rate in effect for that academic year for twelve consecutive semesters.

Eligible students are assigned to a cohort based on the semester in which the student first enrolls as a degree-seeking student. Each academic year includes one summer, fall and spring term. Regardless of a student’s initial term of enrollment, he/she will be eligible for the guaranteed cohort rate (in effect at the time of their initial enrollment) for twelve consecutive academic terms.

Other Costs

What Fees are Included in the Penguin Tuition Promise?

The instructional fee covers instructional costs that eligible undergraduate students pay. Each incoming cohort is charged its unique, guaranteed instructional fee rate for twelve consecutive terms.

The general fee includes fees charged uniformly and universally to a student cohort as part of the blended general fee. A blended general fee significantly streamlines and reduces the number of miscellaneous fees that would otherwise appear on a student bill. An average per student cost has been determined and will be charged to all students in each eligible cohort, thereby minimizing unanticipated fee changes to a student’s bill that might otherwise occur from term to term. The blended general fee includes:

Information technology services
Campus shuttle services
Career services fee
Matriculation fee
Graduation fee
Transportation fee

For more information, see Tuition, Fees and Charges, for a breakdown on specific fees.

Housing and dining rates are included in the Penguin Tuition Promise but may vary depending on students’ chosen or available residence type and meal plan selection. Please see Appendix B for housing and meal plan costs that will become effective for the 2018-19 academic year for the first cohort of the Penguin Tuition Promise program and for continuing students.

What Fees are excluded from the Penguin Tuition Promise?

Nonresident surcharges.
Program fees, lab and materials fees, and college fees that recognize the cost variation among different programs, courses and majors and which are not assessed uniformly or universally.
Miscellaneous fines and service charges, such as late payment fees, library fines, and the (optional) duplicate diploma fee.
Parking permit

Are textbooks included in YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

No, textbooks are not included in YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise.

Are there other expenses I should know about?

Optional expenses, such as study abroad fees, workshop fees, fines, and parking permits, are not included in PenguinTuition Promise.

Enrollment Status

Are Current/Returning Students eligible for YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

No. Returning Ohio students will benefit from a tuition freeze already in place for the 2017–2018 academic year.

Are Transfer students eligible to participate in YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise?

Yes, all new transfer students beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year will be part of the initial cohort of the Penguin Tuition Promise.

What if I am a part-time degree-seeking student?

Part-time students pay instructional and mandatory fees on a prorated, per-credit hour basis at their cohort rate. Part time students will only receive twelve consecutive semesters at the cohort rate.

What if I am a non-degree-seeking student?

The Penguin Tuition Promise does not apply to non-degree seeking students.

Non-degree students: Students admitted or enrolled as non-degree students whose initial term of enrollment is after spring term 2018 will be charged a tuition rate set by the board of trustees. However, once a student is defined as degree-seeking, he/she will be placed into the newest cohort in effect when the student is admitted as an undergraduate degree-seeking student.

What if I need to withdraw from all my courses for a semester?

If a student in the Penguin Tuition Promise cohort chooses to, for example withdraw (officially or unofficially), is financially suspended, administratively withdrawn, or is judicially suspended from YSU, the term(s) absent will count toward the twelve consecutive term guarantee. When this student re-enrolls, if twelve consecutive terms have not been exhausted since initial enrollment, then the student will be charged the guaranteed rate for his/her original cohort. If twelve terms have passed, then the re-enrolling student is moved to the cohort that went into effect the year immediately following his/her original cohort. The student will remain in that cohort for up to one year and if still enrolled after that cohort expires, will be placed into the next cohort until the student is no longer enrolled.

What if I need to take off one or more semesters for any reason?

I'm an undergraduate international student. Does the YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise apply to me?

Yes. The Penguin Tuition Promise applies to every new undergraduate degree-seeking first year or transfer student.

What if I start at YSU as a graduate student, rather than an undergraduate student?

YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise is available only to undergraduate students.

I'm currently enrolled in high school but am taking YSU courses. Does YSU’s Penguin Tuition Promise apply to me?

No. Students enrolled in the state of Ohio’s College Credit Plus (CCP) program are not part of any guarantee cohort during CCP participation.

How does participation in study abroad affect someone paying the Tuition Promise rate?

Students in a Tuition Promise cohort will pay additional fees associated with the study abroad program.